Tapang Baka

Fried Beef Jerky

About 1 to 2 pounds of sirloin or rump roast sliced sandwich-thin. A little fat at the edges are welcome.  A more tender but lean cut of beef is preferable.

Marinade:

• 1/4 c light soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 2 TBS lemon juice, OR preferably 2 TBS juice of calamansi (about 5-6)
• (Vinegar can be used for substitute)
• 1 clove garlic minced  
• 1 tsp. of Worcestershire (optional) 

Prepare the marinade and marinate the meat for 1/2 hour in the fridge or longer, then fry flat in a little oil until almost crisp-roasted for a quick jerky. Do them in batches.

You may want to fry one after ½ hour to see if it is salty enough or too salty to your taste.  If not salty enough, marinate more time.  If too salty, drain and add water and, marinate a few more minutes to expel the salt from the meat.  Proceed to frying.

Usually Filipino tapa is eaten with rice (fried rice for breakfast and white rice for dinner), dipped in vinegar with a crushed siling labuyo (labuyo pepper). This can also be appetizers or eaten while drinking beer with your buddies.

This is called Tapsilog, commonly eaten at breakfast. Tapsilog is combined words of tapa, sinangag (garlic fried rice) and itlog (eggs).